Comment: The following article appeared in the Cyprus Mail of Nicosia on 6 May 2003

Turkish Cypriot journalist [Sener Levent] detained at checkpoint

THE
GOVERNMENT yesterday condemned the refusal of access to the free areas
as well as the arrest of Turkish Cypriot journalist Sener Levent by the
Turkish Cypriot authorities yesterday.

Levent was refused access to the south to meet with Union of
Cyprus’ Journalists (UCJ) president Andreas Kannouros.

Levent protested saying he was allowed to cross over on Friday
without problems but he was told he had escaped the attention of the
police at the checkpoint.

Levent asked UCJ representatives waiting for him to inform
President Tassos Papadopoulos of the incident saying that as a citizen
of the Republic of Cyprus he was illegally arrested by the Denktash
regime and asked the President to make representations to the European
Court of Human Rights as well as other European and international
organisation.

In a statement yesterday, UCJ slammed the Turkish Cypriot
authorities for the incident saying “strongly stigmatised the continued,
inhuman attitude of the Ankara and Denktash occupation regime towards
the Turkish Cypriot journalist”.

“Denktash insists on keeping Levent a hostage and captive in the
occupied areas, provocatively violating every sense of international law
and fundamental principles and rules of international conventions on
human rights and freedoms.”

UCJ announced it would be carrying out a demonstration today during
which journalists will show their solidarity towards their Turkish
Cypriot colleague."